Mrs. Amina Bouayach, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) indicated that the CNDH missions empower it to identify issues that have not been addressed neither by clear legal provisions nor mechanisms. The CNDH seeks to ensure that national instruments are in full compliance with the international human rights system. The universal values make it possible to ensure further the prevention of abuses and protection of children from any gross violations to their person.

This statement was delivered at the opening session of the interactive workshop on The Lanzarote Convention and the Child Protection System in Morocco organized by the CNDH and the Council of Europe (CoE) Office in Morocco on Tuesday 24 October 2023 in Rabat, Morocco.

CNDH Chairperson emphasized that the 30th anniversary of Morocco’s ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is an opportunity to take the stock and review the effectiveness of children’s rights. Within this context, she called for the implementation of the CoE Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse and the Third Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure.

Ms. Carmen Gomez, Head of the CoE Office in Morocco, considered the Lanzarote Convention an important step in preventing sexual crimes against children, prosecuting aggressors and protecting child victims.

She stressed that sexual abuse of children may occur in different settings: at home, school, school parallel activities, on the street, over the phone, or via the Internet. Most cases, those violations (70 to 85%) are committed by individuals from the child’s close surroundings. In those cases, the child is harmed physically and mentally for a lifetime. She also added that 90% of those cases are not reported.

Ms. Maria José Castelo Branco, Chair of the Lanzarote Convention Committee, highlighted the importance of this Convention and the role of its Committee in following up on its implementation at the level of each country. The Committee also contributes to reinforcing capacities through sharing experiences/best practices and enhancing international cooperation.

Representatives of ministerial departments, national and international experts, NGOs working on childhood issues, and children who participated in the CNDH regional consultations took part in this event.

This interactive workshop aims to shed light on the additional value of the CoE Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse and highlight the importance of its ratification and accession in strengthening the child protection system in Morocco.

This event was an opportunity to discuss issues related to the protection of children and the international and regional normative framework (Lanzarote Convention). Stakeholders also shared insights on national and international best practices and experiences of NGOs’ related to protecting children from sexual offenses.